Still Doesn't Matter
by PrincessBellePrinceAdam
Summary: [Operation Overdrive] She's always going to be there for him.  [Rock, sequel to It Doesn't Matter to Me]


A/N: This is a sequel to my one shot It Doesn't Matter to Me. You don't necessarily need to read that one, just know that Mack and Rose are a couple at the beginning of this and that she's made him a promise.

**Still Doesn't Matter**

Even over the other rangers' loud conversation, Rose could hear Mack's footsteps following them out of the game room. She frowned and paused to allow Mack to catch up to her. As Mack drew level with the petite pink ranger she took one of his hands in hers and pulled him towards the front door.

"Rose, I really don't want to talk right now," Mack protested as she dragged him across the front grounds towards the pond.

"We don't have to talk then." She let go of his hand and folded herself onto the ground. "We can just relax." He sighed softly and settled himself next to her, stretching out on the grass. Rose joined him in doing so, resting her head on his chest.

He released her hair from its two neat pony tails and began working his fingers through it, trying to tell himself that it was just like yesterday when they'd been lying on top of her bed and lazily discussing their future together. The future that was now lost to them, he realized angrily. He clenched his fist, forgetting that Rose was in his grip.

The pink ranger hissed in pain and swatted his hand away from her head. Just as she was about to ask what the hell he'd done that for, she noticed that Mack's expression had grown to be sad. "Mack?" She sat up and looked down into his normally blue eyes, eyes that were currently green. She'd never seen his eyes change color before. Given the recently learned truth, she didn't think it would be possible. "Mack. Come on. I know you don't want to talk, but I'm worried about you."

"If you're so worried then why don't you ask my _dad_ to let you make me apart so you can study me," Mack spat bitterly.

Rose's face crumpled with hurt. "I would _never_ do that to you, Mack. I would _never_ stick you under a microscope like some kind of lab rat."

"A robot is only one step above being a lab rat," Mack retorted coldly. Rose shook her head and got to her feet. A lone tear fell from her eyes.

"I can't believe you. I can't believe you would be so cruel to me when all I wanted was to help and comfort you." She turned back towards the mansion and strode away from him.

"Rose…Rose wait." He got up and chased after her, wrapping the smaller girl in his arms as he caught her. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that." He held her closer and kissed the top of her head. "I'm just really frustrated, baby. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"I know, Mack. I understand how much it must suck to find out you're not who you thought you were. But Mack…you can't let this change you."

"I'm scared now, Rose. What if something happens and I crash again or…" Mack's voice trailed off as Rose reached up and pressed a finger to his lips.

"It's going to be all right, Mack. Everything will work out one way or another." She closed her eyes and rested her head on his chest once more.

"But I can't give you what you need now, Rose. I can't give you a normal life. I can't give you what you want."

Rose smiled sadly. "Mack, even I don't know what I want out of life right now. How could you possibly know you can't give me what I want?"

"Well the fact that I'm not even human comes to mind. How could you and I possibly make this work, Rose? How could we ever have a normal life?"

Rose chuckled softly. "Mack, this relationship of ours has never been normal. We squeezed in dates and kisses between megazord battles and finding the jewels. I'm fine with being…unconventional."

"We weren't going to be rangers forever. One day things were going to settle down and we were going to have normal lives again. We were going to have all those things we talked about." Mack let go of her and led her back towards the pond. "We were going to go to school and start our careers. We were going to buy a house and get married. And then…maybe after a few years, maybe kids would come into the picture."

"Mack, do you really think we still couldn't do all of that? No one has to know your secret. The other rangers, Spencer, your-"

"Don't call him my father. Andrew Hartford is _not_ my father."

Rose ignored this and pressed on. "And me. We all love you Mack, especially me. No one living in the mansion would ever tell your secret. So we could still finish those plans you just mentioned; there could still be a home and marriage and-"

"We couldn't have a family. Don't try to tell me we could. Somehow I know _that _wouldn't work no matter what we did."

"We'll adopt if we want kids. Really now, be logical here." Rose shrugged out of her uniform jacket and laid it out on the ground beside her. She leaned against him, warm and soft against his own bare arms. He wrapped them around her shoulders.

"But sweetie, I know when things got serious between us and we talked about children that you wanted it to be _our _baby growing inside of you. You wanted it to be _our_ baby who we took turns waking up with. You wanted it to be _our_ baby who we watched grow up. And," he added with a slight smile, "Knowing you, you probably imagined what they would look like and what we would name them."

Rose returned the smile. "So maybe I imagined those things. But Mack, all I need is you, kids or no kids." She slipped her arms around his waist. "Jamie, Serena and Matthew," she murmured. "They look mostly like me but with your eyes."

"You see?" Mack started. Rose gave him a gentle squeeze and closed her eyes again.

"Shh," she soothed. "Mack, you know I promised you I'd always be here for you, right?"

"I know, and I appreciate that, Rose, I really do." He leaned over and rested his head atop hers. "Please, please, please don't ever leave me, Rose."

"I meant what I said, Mack. To me, we're still the same as we were yesterday: you were my Mack and I was your Rose and we were yet another pink and red couple."

Mack kissed the top of Rose's head once more. "So you still love me, baby?"

"Always."


End file.
